Lo, while you were watching some kind of football all weekend, this happened: Boston got swept by Tampa Bay. 7-2, 6-5, and 9-1 today. Four of those nine runs came on this BJ Upton atom bomb off Matt Albers. That moves the Rays 3.5 games behind the Sox—three in the loss column—for the AL Wild Card lead with 17 games (four against Boston) to play. The Angels, who lead the Yankees at press time, are 4.5 back.

The Red Sox are 2-8 in their last ten. Josh Beckett is hurting. Tim Wakefield is struggling. John Lackey is still John Lackey.

David Ortiz said, "Hell yeah, it's time to panic. But you're not going to do anything panicking." But we disagree; you can get some good drinking done. Stawk up awn Evahcleah, denizens of the Hub. You're gonna need it.